Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" Video: Making Split-Screen Cool Again

Most Read

Some of the best music videos are nothing more than sustained gimmicks. In that vein, the video for Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" (off his upcoming debut album) is a reminder of just how eye-poppingly cool split-screen can be. The director, Nez Khammal, used the device throughout the clip so that he could shoot each of the song's busy rappers (Cudi, Kanye West, and Common) in separate locations but connect them seamlessly: Cudi cruises down a New York highway while, on the other half of the frame, Kanye shows up walking across an L.A. swimming pool. They move through other expansive spaces (stadiums, rooftops, hotel lobbies) in glorious long shots — the camera never moves, but the images keep flipping across the screen.

It's used so frequently and in so many ways that we often barely notice it. But it's hard to miss when used well. The frame ruptures in two, re-orients the eye, and forces us to see things a little differently. That's what's so exhilarating about the "Make Her Say" video: It's a reminder of what we were missing.